Obstech

Obstech is a Chilean astronomy technology company formed by professional astronomers and engineers, focused on developing technologies for astronomy and on operating a robotic remote observatory. The company has been working since 2013 and is based at Observatorio El Sauce (Spanish for "the willow tree"), located in the Río Hurtado Valley in the south of the Atacama Desert, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. The site shares the same exceptionally dark sky as major scientific facilities such as Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Gemini South, Las Campanas Observatory, La Silla Observatory and the Vera Rubin Observatory. Obstech's core business is telescope hosting. It provides a professional, long-term alternative to large scientific observatories in Chile for small and mid-sized telescopes, allowing institutions, researchers and advanced amateurs to install and operate their own instruments remotely without traveling to the site. The observatory has hosted telescopes for science, astrophotography and space situational awareness since 2015, and is described as fully robotic and fully operative. The standard hosting plan includes technical support with highly skilled technicians and engineers on-site 24/7, a 1 Gbps symmetric fiber-optic internet link with Starlink backup, VPN access, shared buildings with automatic roofs that open and close depending on weather conditions, roll-off sheds, security with two guards living on-site plus cameras throughout the observatory, 220 V A/C power with a 75 kW photovoltaic plant and backup diesel generator, and telemetry such as a custom weather station, Sky Quality Meter, AllSky cameras and a live seeing monitor. Pricing is quoted in Chilean pesos (with USD and EUR reference equivalents) and is adjusted for inflation, with no entry fee for the standard plan. Obstech also offers private and custom buildings, larger telescope swing radii, custom power and internet limits, and telescope installation services. The company is led by a team combining academic astronomy and engineering expertise. Prof. Andrés Jordán serves as Chief Scientific Officer; he holds a PhD in Astrophysics from Rutgers University and is a full professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, with research on exoplanets and small-telescope instrumentation. Dr. Vincent Suc is Chief Technology Officer, with a PhD in Optical Engineering from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and is an associate professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. The team also includes automation, administration, optical management and technical staff. Obstech works with clients and partners including Chilescope, through which clients can rent telescope time on the same mountain as an entry point to the "El Sauce" experience.

Obstech was formed by professional astronomers and engineers with the aim of developing technologies for astronomy, and its team has been working since 2013. The company's central project is Observatorio El Sauce, a robotic observatory in the Río Hurtado Valley in the south of the Atacama Desert, in Chile's Coquimbo Region. The site was chosen for its exceptional sky quality: it shares the same dark, stable conditions as major scientific facilities in the region, including Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Gemini South, Las Campanas Observatory, La Silla Observatory and the Vera Rubin Observatory. Since 2015 the observatory has hosted telescopes for science, astrophotography and space situational awareness. Obstech positioned itself as a professional and long-term alternative to scientific observatories in Chile for small and mid-sized telescopes, allowing owners and institutions to operate instruments remotely and robotically without traveling to the site. The observatory is described as fully robotic and fully operative. The company built out a hosting service that bundles infrastructure, connectivity, power, security and telemetry. The standard plan includes shared buildings with automatic roofs that open and close depending on weather conditions, roll-off sheds, space for telescopes with a swing radius up to 1.5 m (with larger sizes possible at higher fees and smaller telescopes potentially qualifying for lower fees), 24/7 on-site technicians and engineers, a 1 Gbps symmetric fiber-optic link with Starlink backup and VPN access, 220 V A/C power with a 75 kW photovoltaic plant and a backup diesel generator, two guards living on-site, security cameras across the observatory, and telemetry such as a custom weather station, Sky Quality Meter, AllSky cameras, in-building cameras and a live seeing monitor. Pricing is charged in Chilean pesos, taxes included, adjusted by inflation, with no entry fee for the standard plan, and USD and EUR reference equivalents are provided. Beyond the standard plan, Obstech offers private buildings with no telescope size limit, custom buildings, custom power and internet limits, custom back-end options and telescope installation services. The company is led by a team that combines academic astronomy and engineering. Prof. Andrés Jordán is Chief Scientific Officer; he holds a PhD in Astrophysics from Rutgers University and is a full professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, with research on exoplanets and small-telescope instrumentation. Dr. Vincent Suc is Chief Technology Officer; he holds a PhD in Optical Engineering from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, moved to Chile in 2008, and is an associate professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. The team also includes Rodrigo Rojas (automation engineer and infrastructure manager), Giselle Ulloa (administration, accounting, human resources and importations), Regis Lachaume (optical manager and software developer for peripherals) and Ivan Ossandon (technical staff). Obstech works with clients and partners, and for those not ready to send their own telescope, it points to renting telescope time through its partners at Chilescope, located on the very same mountain, as a way to start experiencing "El Sauce." The company continues to invite new clients and partners to join the observatory.

• 2015

  Observatorio El Sauce begins hosting telescopes for science, astrophotography and space situational awareness.

• 2013

  Obstech team begins working, forming a company of professional astronomers and engineers focused on astronomy technologies.

A professional, long-term alternative to scientific observatories in Chile for small and mid-sized telescopes, offering remote robotic hosting under one of the world's best skies.

• Standard Telescope Hosting Plan

  Shared building hosting with 24/7 on-site technicians and engineers, 1 Gbps symmetric fiber with Starlink backup, VPN access, automatic roofs, roll-off sheds, security, 220 V A/C power with 75 kW PV plant and backup diesel generator, and telemetry. Priced in CLP with USD/EUR reference equivalents; no entry fee.

• Private / Custom Building Hosting

  No telescope size limit, custom building, custom power and internet upload limits, and custom back-end options.

• Telescope Installation

  Obstech can take care of telescope installation at the observatory.

1. 1Obstech | Telescope Hosting in Chile at Observatorio El Sauceobstech.cl
2. 2ABOUT US | Obstechobstech.cl
3. 3Telescope Hosting Services & Pricing | Obstechobstech.cl
4. 4Obstech (Chile) - Wikidatawikidata.org